Car-step



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. LUTZ.

GAR STEP.

No. 462,496. Patented Nov. 3, 1891 Mini l vi/tmeaaeo @nvewboz i fz attozmuf mQaaw (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. LUTZ. GAR STEP.

No. 462,496. Patented Nov. 3, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY LUTZ, OF LOGAN, OHIO.

CAR-STEP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,496, dated November 3, 1891.

Application filed May 15, 1891 Serial No. 392,806. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY LUTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Logan, in the county of Hocking and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway-Gar Steps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of extension-steps for railway-cars; and the objects of myinvention are to provide simple and improved means for extending the lower step of a series of car-steps, to provide in connection therewith means for quickly and conveniently elevating said lower step against the under side of the step-frame when not in use, and to produce other improvements in the details of construction, which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. These objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a set of carsteps, showing,for the sake of clearness, a portion of the siding broken away therefrom, showing infull lines the position of my extension mechanism when the lower step is ele vated and in dotted lines the position thereof when the same is lowered or extended. Fig. 2 is a plan view of that side of the stairway upon which is mounted my hand-operating device, showing the latter in cross-section. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section enlarged from Fig. 1 of said hand-operating device. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the stairway provided with my improvements and showing the lower step extended. Fig. 5 is a view showing a modification in the manner of operating my device, and Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the parts employed in said modification.

Similar letters referto'si milar'parts throughout the several views.

a represents a portion of one of the end platforms of a car, and a the outward extensions thereof, which extend on opposite sides of the usual stairway-recesses.

13 represents the ordinary form of stairway, which is inclined outwardly and downwardly from the platform a in the usual manner. Of this stairway 1) represents the side pieces, I) the'fixed steps, which are arranged at intervals between said side pieces, and b the step backing-pieces, which ordinarily cover the rear sides of the steps. Upon the upper side of the platform a, on one side of the stairway and near the rear side of the latter, is fixed a metallic plate 11 from which rises a vertical and fixed tube b*. This tube b has telescoped therein a tube If, the upper and smaller end portion of which is internally screw-threaded, as shown.

0 represents a lever-operating or plunger rod, which passes loosely through the tubes 12 12 This rod 0 has its upper end screwed within the upper end portion of the tube b", and the latter is provided with an upward extension and finger-piece c. The lower portion of the rod passes, as shown, through the lower open end of the tube 19 and through an opening in the plate b and plat form a beneath said tube. That portion of the rod 0 which is within the tubes b b is, as shown, provided with a coiled spring 0 which surrounds the same, the upper end of said spring being fixed to the rod 0 or made to bear against the internal shoulders 0 formed by the production of the smaller neck or upper end portion of the upper tube If. The lower end of this spring is preferably caught, as shown, beneath the plate 12 and platform a. As shown in the drawings, the tube b is provided on one side adjoining its base-plate b with an opening 0*.

A notch or recess 0 designed to communicate with the case-opening 0 is formed in the rod 0, said notch being so located that when said rod is .drawn upward to its highest point, as hereinafter described, its notch will form an inward termination of the caseopening 0. Upon the plate b is fulcrumed at d a pawl or dog d, against one side of the outer portion of which is secured the end of a spring-strip (t the free end of which bears against a pin (1 which projects upwardly from said plate The pawl d is so located with relation to the spring stoppin (1 as to cause through the tension of said spring-strip an inward pressure on the outer portion of the pawl d, which will result in the inner end of the head of said pawlbeing held by spring-pressure within the opening 0 of the tube Z) and against the rod 0 on the inner side of said tube. The lower end of the rod 0, which extends through and beneath the platform a, is pivotally connected with the upper end of an approximately hookshaped lever-coupling d the lower hook end of the latter being pivoted or fulcrumed to the width of the backing-piece near which it is provided with a suitable bearing-box e, V

which projects from said backingpiece. Fixed on the inner end of the shaft 01 is an arm e, to the outer or lower end of which is fulcrumed the upper end or stem'of a bifurcated arm 6 The lower outwardl-yandthence downwardly extending forks of this arm 6 are each pivotally connected with the upper end of a downwardly extending rod 6 said rods 6 being supported loosely in suitable bearings or keepers e, which project from the rear side of the step backing-piece. The rods 6 are of such length that when forced downward, as hereinafter described and as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, their lower forwardly-bent ends will be supported at a pointbeneath and in front of the lower fixed step of the-stairway. Upon this forwardlybent lower end portion of the rods 6 is rigidly supported a lower or extension step f, which is of such length as to tit loosely when so supported between the lower end portions of the stairway side pieces and beneath the lower fixed step.

Theoperation of my device is as follows: When the tube 19 is down or inclosed by the tube 19 it will be observed that the springactuated rod 0 will have been forced downward to such an extent beneath the platform a as to result, through the connection of said rod and arm d and the connection of thelatter with the shaft (1 in the shaft-arm a being made to extend outwardly from the stepbacking. This position of the arm 6, owing to its connection with the arm e results in the outward projection of the latter. This position of the arm 6 results in the step-supporting rods a being supported at such height as to bring the step f into contact with the under side of the lowest fixed step b.

The parts above described, and. shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, are normally supported in the positions described by the tension of the coiled spring which is within the tubular portions 5 b*. With the extension-step support in the elevated position described it is obvious that said step will be free from contact of platforms or other obstacles which vmaybe built adjacent to the railway. When the train has reached a station and itis desired to increase the length of the stairway for the accommodation of parties entering the train, the tube 17 is pulled upwardly by grasping the finger-piece c and elevating the same until the notch c of the rod 0 is opposite the recess 0 in the tube 12 when the head of the pawl 01 will, by pressure of the springstrip 01 be caused to enter and engage with said notch 0 thus providing a support for said rod and inner tube in their elevated positions. This upward movement of the rod 0 will result through the connection therewith of the arm d in the outer end of the latter moving in the arc of a circle to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the 0011- sequent inward straightening movement of the arms 6' e will result in a downward. movement of the step-supporting rods e and "a consequent downward movement of the step f. Owing to the fact that the rods 6 travel in 'the direction of the incline of the stairway,

it is obvious thatthe lower step f will be thus supported-in proper alignment with the remaining fixed steps 'b'. In this manner the stairway is extended the desired distance by adirect downward movement thereof. As the train is again started the brakeman or other employ may cause the extension-step to resume its elevated position by such pressure against the-outer end portion of the pawl 61' as will result in the disengagement of the pawl-head with the notch of the rod 0.

As shown in Figs. 5a'nd 6 of the drawings, I may elevate the tube b through the pressure of the air from the air-brake pipes. This means of operation is accomplished by supporting adjacent to the tube 1) a tube 11, which communicates at its lower end with an airpipe i and within which is adapted to slide a piston or plunger Theupper outwardlyprojecting end of the piston i may be connectedwith the upper end portion of the tube 1) by means of a suitable arm 1', which couples said parts together. It will be readily understood that in this method of operation the air from the air-brake pipes enters the tube 'i through the pipe 2' and forces upward the piston 1' which in turn elevates the tube 17 through the connecting-arm 2' From the construction herein shown and described it will be seen that a simple and positive construction and arrangement of parts is produced, by means of which the extension-step may readily be returned from its lowered position, and by means of which a convenient railway-stairway is produced.

Owing to the fact that the extension-step when not lowered is covered by the lower fixed step'of the stairway, it will be seen that said extension-step will be free from the action of snow or rain, and that its operating parts are protected from the weather by the platform and stairway backing.

I am aware that railway-car stair-ways or steps have been produced heretofore with an extension-step; but my invention differs from these both in the manner of construction and operation.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In steps for railway-cars, the combination, with the fixed steps and their supporting IIO 10 6, arm 6 jointedly connected therewith, stepsupporting rods 6 movabiy supported at the back of the steps b, and a step supported on the lower ends thereof, said rods 6 being jointedly connected with arm 6 substantially as described.

HENRY LUTZ.

In presence of- I. O. WRIGHT, WM. F. EISELE. 

